


Deal

by Dandy



Category: Free!
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-25
Updated: 2014-09-25
Packaged: 2018-02-18 17:28:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2356568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dandy/pseuds/Dandy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin tilted his head a little, then nodded with determination. “Alright, then, it’s a deal.”</p><p>"A deal?"</p><p>"Yeah. Neither of us cry tomorrow." He gave Rei a broad grin. "We’re going to leave each other with big smiles and a "See ya later.""</p><p>(Very, VERY slight finale spoilers.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Deal

**Author's Note:**

> The finale fucked me up and that's all I have to say about it.

It was starting to get a little warmer outside as March rolled toward April, but it still felt cold as the dead of winter in Rin's room to Rei. He was seated on the floor, back against a suitcase full of Rin's clothes, knees drawn up under his chin.

It was finally sinking in that Rin was leaving tomorrow. He'd known, obviously, felt a pang of dread every now and then when he took note of the date, but it had still seemed so far away. They still had six months, six weeks, six days.

And now they were out of time, and the fact sat like lead in his stomach.

Rin walked in, holding two cups of steaming hot chocolate in his hands. Rei uncurled himself hastily, giving Rin a smile as he reached up to accept the mug.

"Thank you."

"It's the least I can do for helping me pack up all my clothes." Rin sat down next to him, shoulder to shoulder, and leaned in to press a kiss against Rei's temple.

"And what's the  _most_ you can do?" asked Rei, looking at him over the rim of the mug.

Rin blinked, and then snorted, and then laughed, reaching up to ruffle his hair.

Rei blushed, ducking away from his hand. "I thought that was a good one."

"No, no, it was." Rin stopped laughing, but still stubbornly put his hand on Rei's head. "I'm just thinking about how long it took you to say things like that. A few months ago you would have rather died." 

"Well, it's obviously not having the desired effect, so I'm going to stop."

"No," said Rin quickly, pausing in his ruffle to slide his hand down to Rei's chin instead. "I like it."

Rin put his cup down carefully so he could cup Rei's face in both hands, rubbing softly with the pads of his thumbs. Rei set his own cup aside as well and wrapped his arms around Rin's waist as they scooted closer to each other.

Rei smiled as their lips pressed together, quickly opening his mouth to let Rin's tongue in. He was starting to think maybe his cheesy line would lead to Rin showing him the most he could do after all, which he was fine with, except Rin's floor was hard and there were suitcases on his bed-

Which made him think of Rin leaving.

"Hey hey hey," said Rin suddenly, pulling away from Rei to stare in his eyes, and Rei realized with a rush of embarrassment that the pained and sorrowful whine he'd heard was him. "What's wrong?"

Rei stared back at him, then bowed his head and hid his face against Rin's shoulder.

"You're leaving tomorrow."

He heard Rin's heartbeat loud by his ear in the silence. It seemed to stretch on forever.

"Ah geez... Rei..."

Rin wrapped his arms around Rei's shoulders, and Rei could feel him tremble a little. 

"You're leaving tomorrow, and at the end of the week Haruka-senpai and Makoto-senpai are, too."

Rin was silent a moment longer, then said, "At least your monster of a best friend will be here," and Rei huffed out a little laugh.

"Don't talk bad about Nagisa-kun."

"I will if I want." He smiled. "You guys are going to be busy recruiting for the swim team, _Captain_ Ryugazaki. Before you know it, summer break will be here and I'll be back. And we'll skype every day and-"

"It won't be the same," said Rei, and he couldn't help it, he shuddered against Rin's shoulder and sniffed.

"Fuck, Rei, no, no, don't cry." Rin pushed at his shoulders, trying to force his head up. "Don't cry. If you cry, I'll cry, and I was really trying to get through today without crying."

"Sorry." Rei sniffed loudly and blinked furiously to get rid of his tears. "Sorry, I'm trying not to."

"Come on, cheer up. I've gotta pay you back for going through my junk."

Rei gave a little laugh. "And I guess I should save up some tears for tomorrow, anyway."

Rin groaned. "Let's not. I really don't want to cry in an airport."

Rei gave him a skeptical look. " _You_ really think you're going to get through tomorrow without crying."

"I don't cry that much!" Rin huffed, letting go of Rei and folding his arms, though he looked more amused than angry. "Everyone's just been spreading shit about me."

Rei laughed, and it was his turn to give Rin's hair a ruffle, which was greeted with much grumbling. "Well,  _I_ don't intend to make a public spectacle of myself, either."

Rin tilted his head a little, then nodded with determination. "Alright, then, it's a deal."

"A deal?"

"Yeah. Neither of us cry tomorrow." He gave Rei a broad grin. "We're going to leave each other with big smiles and a "See ya later."" 

He held up a fist, and even though Rei normally didn't like fistbumps, he knocked his own knuckles against Rin's anyway. "Alright. Deal."

"Great. Now..." Rin leaned in closer, sliding a hand up to hook in Rei's shirt collar. "About your reward..."

* * *

Everyone was there to see Rin off. Not just the Iwatobi boys and his family, but also Sousuke, Ai, and Momotarou. They all wanted their turn saying goodbye, Nagisa, Ai, and Momo all crying into his shoulders, Gou and his mother giving him a long hug and a kiss on the cheek each, Haru and Sousuke both being their stoic selves as they said goodbye and told him to do well, and Makoto giving him a strong pat on the back and wishing him luck.

Rei was hanging at the edge of the group, and so Rin got to him last. Everyone seemed to shuffle away to give them some space, or maybe that was just Rin's imagination. 

"Hey," said Rei softly, and Rin smiled at him. 

"You're keeping our deal, right?"

Rei gave his glasses a haughty push and nodded. "Of course! It's been easy enough so far." 

"Yeah? Good." He grinned, hooked an arm around Rei's waist, and pulled him in.

They kissed briefly, aware that they were being watched but not embarrassed enough to keep from  _any_ contact, and then Rei pressed something into Rin's hand. "Here."

"Huh? What's this?" 

Rin held the object up, and realized it was a phone card.

"It has thirty international minutes on it," said Rei. "I know it won't get us much, but you can at least let me know you landed safely."

Rin stared at it, then gave a hoarse laugh. Suddenly his throat felt thick. "Damn. You think of everything, don't you?"

"I try." Rei wasn't looking right at him, seemingly distracted by the people moving through security over Rin's shoulder.

"I, uh, got you something, too," said Rin, self-conscious, especially with the way his throat was scratchy. "Here." 

He searched around in his bag and pulled out a book, handing it over to Rei.

Rei tilted his head at it. It was a book on effective leadership techniques, worn and with certain pages bookmarked with small slips of paper.

"I got it when I got picked as Samezuka's captain, and... well, I thought it was pretty helpful, and I knew you would appreciate it, so-"

"Thank you, Rin," said Rei breathlessly, and his voice sounded as scratchy as Rin's did. "This is... this is really great, thank you."

"No problem." 

Neither of them were looking at each other now, Rei keeping his eyes on the book cover and Rin keeping his eyes on the phone card.

"...Well..." said Rin after enough silence. "Um... I guess I better go."

"Yeah," said Rei quietly. He raised his head, and Rin did the same. 

He tried to smile, but it came out more as a grimace. Rei wasn't faring much better, his lips pressed hard together, twitching a little at the corners as he tried to raise them.

"S-see you later," rasped out Rin.

"See you," murmured Rei in response.

Their eyes finally met, and Rin felt a familiar sting rush to the corners of his eyes.

"...Fuck it, deal off," he snapped roughly, wrapping his arms around Rei's shoulders and pulling him close, tears rolling into Rei's shirt.

"Oh thank god," huffed Rei, and Rin gave a laugh that morphed into a sob as Rei's own tears started to fall. They clung to each other, muttering  _I'll miss you_ s and  _I'll skype you every day_ s into each other's shoulders.

Their watching friends started to laugh. Rin held up a middle finger, glad Rei was too busy to see, which only made them laugh harder, and then after a moment he was laughing and so was Rei.

Finally, they gave each other one more kiss and pulled away, both scrubbing at their faces with their sleeves. "You're going to be late if you don't hurry," said Gou, and Rin looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah, I better go." He grabbed up his things and waved at them all. "Then, I'll be seeing you guys."

"Bye Rin!" cried a chorus of voices, a mixture of honorifics following. Rei didn't say anything, just waved at him as he walked off toward security. He gave the guards his passport and put his things on the belt, turned and gave them one more wave, and then walked through the detectors.

Rei watched even as the others all started to leave, until Nagisa hooked his arm around his.

"Let's go, Rei-chan. We have to start planning for our recruitment campaign!"

Rei clutched Rin's book tight in his hand and nodded. "Right. Let's go."


End file.
